Abandoned rooster roaming neighborhood ☹️

[llombardo]

Same thing happened to me last fall. One day he showed up and stuck around for about a month. Neighbors had said he was on other properties for a while before that. I caved in and bought him a waterer and food. Every night I walked him across the road so he could roost in the trees. Then I constsntly checked on him. Tried catching him to no avail, he avoided a live trap too. Finally he seemed to disappear. I was sure he was killed. Then one day my neighbor across the street informed me the rooster decided to hop the fence and make his home with the one female the had left. He made himself right at home and has never left.

 

[clucklady]

What a lucky guy!
How did you find out where he came from?

Apparently, cock fights are popular in my neighborhood. There are businesses locally that sell Rooster food. Why would anyone need food that is specially formulated for roosters only? In any event, the homeowners moved away and left this guy behind. My Latina foster daughter informed me that this type of rooster is the variety that are used for that "sport" in Mexican cock fights. He's happy now, with 13 ladies of his own. He wakes me up promptly at 6:00 every morning which is when I would set my alarm clock if I needed one. And then he pretty much shuts up the rest of the day, which is perfect for a neighborhood where roosters are not allowed. Don't ask me how this same neighborhood where no roosters are allowed had a cock fight ring. Makes no sense at all.

One morning, a coyote came into the backyard and Rudy was ready to go to war (I saw the whole thing), but he was locked in the coop with the girls and the coyote couldn't get in, so it was all good, but Rudy was ready to come to the defense of the girls! What a good rooster!

 

[WVduckchick]

Is he bantam? Looks like a beautiful BBRed OEGB. He still has his comb, so he probably hasn't been used for fighting. They are normally a very friendly breed, but hard to catch if they don't want to be caught. If you do decide to try to catch/rehome him, just be slow and gentle with him and herd him into a small area (corner of a fence, etc) and he shouldn't be too difficult to catch. When you try to grab him, he will try to fly away. I usually catch mine by anticipating their take-off!

Good luck!

 

[clucklady]

I never was able to catch Rudy. I manuevered him into the coop by leaving a trail of chicken scratch. He was hungry and followed the food right into the coop. Then he stayed for the entertainment. Now, if I need to grab him for something, I wait until he's gone to bed and I can catch him then.

Edit - I did put him in a seclusion coop for a few weeks just until I was reasonably certain he didn't have diseases and would work well with my flock. When I released him from the seclusion coop, he went right into the big coop and has been a cooperative member of the flock ever since.

 

[Aapomp831]

Wait until night, when he is docile and zombielike. Then I would catch him.

 

[WVduckchick]

Wait until night, when he is docile and zombielike. Then I would catch him.

If he's reachable! They like to roost as high as possible if out in the open.

 

[llombardo]

If he's reachable! They like to roost as high as possible if out in the open.

That was my issue. Couldn't get that high in the tree and the bet didn't fit.

 

[Kitchencoup]

I have no idea. If I had a plan for what to do with him, I could try, perhaps with enticing food or treats in or near a crate, poor guy is probably hungry.

 

[Kitchencoup]

I have no idea. If I had a plan for what to do with him, I could try, perhaps with enticing food or treats in or near a crate, poor guy is probably hungry.

If you want to catch him, try plain old wild bird food in a container where he hangs out. Mine are crazy for bird seed. They’ll follow me anywhere if the hear me shaking the container they know holds the special treat. Better than mealworms imo.

 

[llombardo]

I think my stray escaped a fighting ring too. Down the road they have about 20 roosters, no hens. The recycling guy told me how about a month ago there was about 15 plucked chickens in the recycling toter. He doesn't know which house they came from. Not sure why someone would completely pluck and try to recycle chickens?